


Apology Accepted

by blueelvewithwings



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Hugging, M/M, Making Up, Merrill trying to help I guess, Purring Elves, also pre-Fenders, friendship development?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2017-01-16
Packaged: 2018-09-18 00:33:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9354773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueelvewithwings/pseuds/blueelvewithwings
Summary: Anders has to hug the elf. Unexpected things happen. Like that sound coming from Fenris' lips. Which, by the way is most definitely not a purr.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this as my entry for the DA Secret Santa 2016 for tumblr user patissierlavellan. I am ridiculously happy with how this came out, so I have the need to share it on here as well. Enjoy~

„We should what?“ Anders asked, looking at Hawke with big, unbelieving eyes. Hawke clearly had to suppress a chuckle as he saw Anders looking that flabbergasted.   
„You should hug“ he repeated and gestured to Anders and the very grumpy looking elf that was sitting next to the mage. „Hugs are mandatory now if one of you offends the other. Not only for you two but the whole group.“  
„But why?“ Anders protested, crossing his arms in front of his chest. „I didn't even do anything!“ From behind him, there was a sigh. „I'm not sure if calling Broody a blighted stuck up mage hater and suggesting sending him back to Tevinter between the lines counts as nothing“ Varric spoke as he continued to polish his beloved crossbow.  
„Hug the elf and apologize, it can't be that bad, can it?“  
„But why?“ Anders demanded again, slowly adopting the look of a petulant child.   
„Because it's Satinalia, and this is not the time for fights, but a time of love and appreciation“ Aveline tossed in, looking ready to hit Anders on the head with the pommel of her sword should he not give in to Hawke's request soon – in true Satinalia spirit.  
Tossing his hands into the air, Anders finally submitted to his friends' request with a groan and turned towards the stone-faced elf next to him.   
„Fine. I apologize. For... what Varric said earlier. We shouldn't send you back to Tevinter. You do have some... good qualities about you, elf.“ Fenris looked at him as if he didn't believe a single word, and Anders could understand it. He knew that Fenris did indeed have his good sides and that he was important to Hawke, but that didn't mean he had to like him too much, right?  
Still, the elf didn't protest as the mage leaned in and carefully wrapped his arms around his rigid form. Anders didn't back off immediately, as he would have loved to do, but waited until Fenris relaxed in his arms just a fraction, apparently convinced that Anders would not stab him in the back at this opportunity. This brought a tiny smile to the mage's face and he rubbed little circles in the elf's skin on the back of his neck, just above the collar of his ever-present armour.  
And that was when it happened.  
There was a purr coming from the elf. A purr.   
„You're purring! Like a cat!“ Anders immediately lit up and tried to rub the spot on Fenris' neck even more, but the elf just pulled back.  
„Cease this, mage. It is nothing“ Fenris tried to extricate himself from Anders' arms, but before he could push the other man away Isabela had leaned close from the other side and was now also trying to get the elf to purr again by running her hands over his skin. Anders frowned when he realised that Fenris' discomfort seemed to be a true, deep-seated thing instead of just his usual grumpy attitude, and he actually pushed Isabela away at the same time that Varric dragged her back to avoid any possible accidents between her and Fenris. Anders cleared his throat, somehow trying to solve the tension that was now building in the room. Maybe he would simply have to apologize again...?  
„That is not something you have to be embarrassed about, Fenris. All elves have that, we just end up purring if we're touched like that“ Merrill piped up from somewhere behind Isabela. Fenris just growled at her, and Anders felt like somehow instead of apologizing he had made things worse again. When it came to Fenris, that seemed to be a special talent of his. But just as he opened his mouth to do just that, Isabela caught on to what Merrill had said and turned around, starting to intently pet the smaller elf, causing her to – indeed – purr loudly and relax instantly. Fenris, on the other hand, did not seem to be comforted that, since he was still sitting rigid and stiff in his chair.   
Anders heard a sigh coming from his right side and looked over at Hawke. He looked a bit like a wet mabari puppy, and Anders was almost suprised to not see a giant pout on his face. He knew that Hawke wanted them to get along, and that he had only had the best intentions, had only wanted to help them get along and maybe build a bridge over some of their differences. And now he only seemed to have caused the elf more trouble.   
Anders yelped as suddenly Isabela draped herself all over him in a big cudle (that could also just be an excuse to push her breasts in his face), and rubbed the back of his neck. Anders was a bit confused, but he did the only thing he could think of at that moment.  
He purred.  
And then, suddenly, there was a gauntleted hand at the back of his neck, rubbing the same spot he had rubbed for Fenris earlier. Anders purred some more.  
„Mage, why are you purring?“ Fenris sounded genuinely confused as he asked that. Divesting himself of Isabela, lest he talk into her chest instead of towards the elf, he turned to face Fenris.  
„It feels nice. Why can't I express that it feels nice like that? Cats do it like that as well.“ He looked into the frowning elf's face, wondering what was causing the confusion.  
„You... make that sound because you like being touched there?“  
„Yes. Is that not the same for you?“  
Fenris looked away, his nose scrunched up in a way that Anders would describe as cute if he wasn't so partial to having his heart beating inside his chest.  
„It is not. Danarius used it to show that I could not hurt him. He would grip me there, almost lift me from where I was kneeling, and all I could do was purr at him like some stupid content cat while I felt like my spine was being torn out.“  
Anders was quiet for a moment, simply contemplating what to say. He looked around the room, saw Aveline petting Hawke's mabari (and pretending not to listen), Varric still cleaning Bianca (and pretending not to listen), Isabela petting a purring Merrill (and probably pretending not to listen). Hawke was looking at the two of them intently, but for once, he kept his mouth shut and did not try to contribute anything.  
„That is not true though. You can hurt him. You did hurt him. You made him feel what it really means to have one's spine torn out. And this is your body, and you can decide who touches it and who doesn't. And if you allow someone to touch your neck and they make you feel good, there is no shame in purring and expressing that it feels good. Even if it seems to be some sort of compulsion for elves.“  
He felt big green eyes on him, and now it was Fenris' turn to be silent for a while, before he gave a court nod of thanks.  
„I thank you, Anders. Would you... allow me to return the hug?“  
He didn't know how he managed, but Anders swallowed his surprise and nodded, then found himself encased in a pair of strong leather- and metal-clad arms. Fenris' hand easily found its way to Anders' neck again, carefully rubbing that spot that made him want to melt into a puddle.  
And Anders purred.   
The sound of the eternally grumpy elf laughing was something that Anders never thought he would hear. He hadn't even thought Fenris would ever laugh, much less in his presence. And even less because of something Anders had done. With a chuckle of his own, Anders wrapped his own arms around the elf to gently stroke his neck, causing Fenris to purr softly, followed by a silent chuckle.   
„I will not become your next best replacement for a cat now, mage“ he warned Anders, who simply turned to purr into Fenris' ear a little.  
When they pulled back after a few moments, the elf was still looking intently at Anders.  
„Mage?“ he almost sounded a little insecure.  
„Apology accepted.“  
There was a yelp and suddenly they both found themselves with a lapful of Isabela, hugging them tight, followed by Merrill's thin arms around them. And then there was Varric's chest hair tickling the side of Anders' neck and somehow his face was full of Hawke's beard. He heard an 'oof' from somewhere as apparently Aveline was dragged intot he group hug, and a wet spot on his thigh also proved the closeness of Hawke's overly slobbering mabari.   
Maybe it would be a perfect Satinalia after all.  
„I love you guys“. That was definitely Hawke's voice, coming from somewhere in the direction of Fenris' hair. „Let's never move again.“

And that was how Sebastian found them.


End file.
